THAILAND'S TOP-FIVE IN FRESH FRUIT EXPORTS

Photo © The Post Publishing

The prickly durian is considered to be an aphrodisiac. For durian lovers and connoisseurs, enjoying the creamy flesh of the ‘king of Thai fruits’ is one of life's great pleasures. For first-timers, the pungent aroma of the durian takes some getting used to. Like mature strong-smelling cheese, one gradually acquires a taste for the fruit.

A large, oval-shaped fruit up to 30 cms in length, the durian has a heavy-duty, dark olive green skin covered in sharp, strong spikes. The flesh is located in pockets within the fruit, each containing two to three linked pillows of yellow flesh surrounding hard brown seeds.

Each variety offers interesting variations in taste and texture.

• Mon Thong
  A somewhat large, plump fruit, premium quality Mon Thong has thick, creamy sweet flesh and a tiny seed

• Kan Yao (long stalk)
  A medium-sized fruit with a long stalk, and fine, creamy, sweet flesh

• Chanee
  A large fruit with thick, yellow, tasty flesh and a strong aroma

• Kradum
  Small and round, with sweet, light yellow flesh

Handling a durian requires some skill. Given the spikes and tough skin, the use of protective gloves makes the task of prizing open the fruit considerably easier. Use a large paring knife to make an incision at the apex of the fruit where the individual segments converge. Then slit the fruit lengthwise and prize open the two halves by hand. Use a knife to slit open each of the pockets and tease out the fruit. For convenience, most vendors offer to slice open the fruit for you.

Durian is enjoyed fresh and just ripe, or served with sticky rice topped with coconut cream. Alternatively, it is cooked over very low heat to make durian paste (turian kuan), made into jams or ice cream. Durian flesh is also sliced, sun-dried, fried and served as durian chips.

The fruit is extremely rich, with high levels of calcium, phosphorus, sulphur, iron and niacin. Every 100 grams of durian yields 163 calories; over indulgence can rapidly raise body temperature.

Photo © The Post Publishing

According to a centuries-old Thai folk belief, the mangosteen – ‘queen of tropical fruits’, goes very well with the super rich durian -- ‘king of Thai fruit’. The mangosteen – a fruit known for its remarkable cooling properties – neutralizes the excessive heat. Having a few mangosteens following a feast of durian is an excellent folk remedy for preventing maladies related to overindulgence. Durian should not be consumed with alcohol.